The political battles between the Sam Rainsy Party and Funcinpec continued Wednesday with the defection of another opposition parliamentarian to the royalist party, the fourth defection to Prince Norodom Ranariddh’s party in less than a week.
Turning the tide of the recent wave of defections from Funcinpec to the opposition, Sam Rainsy parliamentarian Sun Kim Hun held a news conference at Funcinpec headquarters to announce his decision to change sides.
He was joined by two recent Sam Rainsy defectors: Lim Sokun and Hong Sok Heang, who heaped recrimination on their former leader, accusing him of dictatorial leadership and un-Buddhist behavior.
The defections to the royalist party have been a rare, positive news opportunity for Funcinpec officials, who claimed Wednesday they are back in contention to win the July 27 national elections.
However, analysts say the pre-election slug-fest between Funcinpec and the Sam Rainsy Party has only played into the hands of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s ruling CPP, which will be the ultimate winner from the vote-splitting brought on by the rash of defections.
“I came to join Funcinpec because I have seen the political trend in the Sam Rainsy Party, which wants to turn Cambodia into a republic,” said Sun Kim Hun, former opposition lawmaker for Pailin municipality.
Sun Kim Hun also said he wondered about the religious orientation of Sam Rainsy, as the opposition leader had not taken part in a recent ceremony to move a relic of the Buddha from Phnom Penh to a pagoda in Odong district, Kompong Speu province.
Kompong Cham province lawmaker Lim Sokun, a founding member of the Sam Rainsy Party who defected to Funcinpec on Monday, accused Sam Rainsy of ruling the party like a dictator.
“This is like the way the CPP works,” Lim Sokun said.
Hong Sok Heang, opposition lawmaker for Takeo, said he also defected on Monday because the Sam Rainsy Party leadership was dividing out party jobs to their friends and family.
Sam Rainsy could not be contacted on Wednesday. Party officials said he was in France.
Sam Rainsy Party Cabinet Chief Phi Thach said the defection of the four parliamentarians was a “natural loss” as the party gains and loses followers in the turbulent, pre-election period.
It was unlikely to impact negatively on the opposition’s election result, said Phi Thach.
Growing support for the Sam Rainsy Party was unlikely to be dented by the loss of individual party members, he said.
Party Secretary-General Eng Chhay Eang declined to comment on the claims by his former colleagues, adding they had not worked hard in the party and joined Funcinpec out of self interest.
The defections, ultimately, hurt both parties. However the Sam Rainsy Party is being mauled most by the loss of four of their 15 parliamentarians, a political analyst said on condition of anonymity on Wednesday.
“It says a lot about their internal unity. The Sam Rainsy Party can reach out [to voters], but internally they are not strong,” the analyst said.
Bogged down in inter-party conflict, both Funcinpec and the Sam Rainsy Party were losing ground to Hun Sen’s CPP, the analyst added.
“They are not properly preparing for the election…. Down the road, both will lose as the CPP consolidate their influence and power,” he said.
The recent defections between the two parties means that Funcinpec now has 43 members of parliament, while the Sam Rainsy Party has 14.
Though welcoming the defectors, Funcinpec Deputy Secretary-General Nhiek Bun Chhay said their flight from the opposition was likely prompted by Sam Rainsy giving choice party positions to defectors from Funcinpec.
In Phnom Penh, the tit-for-tat defections have also caused some voters to question the credibility of politicians from both parties.
“I am concerned about giving my vote to either party because the candidate I support could defect to the other side,” said local NGO worker Heng Chantha, 30.
“I will have to think about [supporting] a new party, and I am watching the one that helps people the most,” he said.
(Additional reporting by Thet Sambath)
